MORE than 80 jobs could be created if a proposal for a new private town centre care home for the elderly is given the go-ahead.

Developers want to build a residential care home in Bishop Auckland that will provide accommodation for around 90 people.

If built, managers predict between 80 and 90 nursing, care assistant, and domestic jobs would be created for people living nearby.

Planning officers from Wear Valley District Council are working with architects from the Newcastle based Ladhar Group on plans for the building in Escomb Road.

The company, which owns care homes, cafes, pubs and nightclubs across the region, feels the site is ideal for a nursing home as it is close to all amenities particularly the new general hospital, Station View Medical Centre and a pharmacy.

Michael Errington, finance director of the Ladhar Group, said: "I don't want to presume we'll get permission but it seems an ideal site to us.

"It would be convenient for people travelling to work or visit residents at the home on public transport and is close to the services old people and their carers need to access regularly."

He believes demand will grow for care home complexes as Durham County Council plans to close up to 17 of its homes.

The council move is in response to Government guidance which encourages local authorities to help elderly people live more independently rather than spending £60m upgrading them to meet new standards.

The plans are yet to be finalised and discussed by the district council's development control committee.

At this stage the company wants to construct a three-storey stone and buff-brick building with an artificial grey slate roof.

Officials from South Durham and Weardale Community Health Council have written to planning officers expressing several concerns about the proposals.

The Community Health Council's chief officer Valerie Bryden is concerned that a 90-bed facility will not be fully occupied, particularly as care providers move towards smaller, more homely and less institutionalised settings.

Mrs Bryden has also suggested planners consider better access to fire escapes and think about the shared parking with Station View Medical Centre and the impact that will have on security at the surgery.

Council officers expect the plans to be completed in the next few weeks, to go before the development control committee in March or April.